Tema, Mar 12, GNA – The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has inaugurated 100 elected unit committee members into office from the 21 electoral areas in the Tema Metropolis.
In accordance with the Local Government laws each electoral area must have five elected unit committee members however three areas in the Metropolis could not get the required number.
Alhaji Shehu Awudu Kadiri, Tema Metropolitan Coordinating Director, said the Uhuru and Dade Agbo electoral areas had four members each while Republic got only three persons contesting the December 17, 2019 elections in the area.
Alhaji Kadiri expressed worry that Ghanaians were losing interest in the local governance system culminating in the fact that some electoral areas did not attract electoral candidates even though the unit committee was the crucial. basic level of governance.
He reminded the inaugurated members of their mandate to assist in identifying potential rate payers to boost revenue collection in their areas adding that they must also serve as feedback to the Assembly as they were required to meet and discuss developmental issues in their vicinity.
Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said the contribution of the members to nation building was very crucial and therefore urged them to be actively involved in addressing the shortfalls in evenue and its related effects on the provision of the needed projects.
Mr Anang-La announced that his outfit was considering going into partnership with interested unit committee members to identify rate payers and collect revenue on behalf of the Assembly at an agreed commission basis.
This, he noted, would help the Assembly to meet its revenue target as the members were in the communities and could easily identify defaulters reiterating that they must endeavor to collaborate with their Assembly members to monitor projects in their areas to ensure value for money.
He stated that the TMA would organize some capacity building programmes for members to enable them perform their functions effectively and efficiently.
GNA